Curry Leaves
Murraya Koenigii
Culinary uses:
In
Indian cuisines, curry leaves are used fresh; for some recipes, the
leaves should be oven-dried or toasted immediately before usage.
Another common technique is short frying in butter or oil. Since South
Indian cuisine is dominantly vegetarian, curry leaves seldom appear in
non-vegetarian food; the main applications are thin lentil or vegetable
curries (sambaar) and stuffings for the crispy samosa.
Because of their soft texture, they are never removed before serving,
being eaten without any hazard. They can be successfully applied to
European cooking. Try them when making crispy potatoes, or for exotic
flavoring in vegetable dishes.
Storage:
Curry
leaves may be kept in the refrigerator for some time, but are better
kept frozen; do not remove them from the branches before usage! They
keep very well, but if not using the whole amount within a couple of
weeks, dry them gently in a very low oven or in a dehydrator. Dried
curry leaves keep indefinitely in an airtight container, but the
fresher they are, the better the flavor will be.
Description:
A
number of small, shiny, pointed leaflets grow closely along a central
stem. The tree is an aromatic deciduous one, five meter in height,
15-40 cm in diameter.
Origin:
Curry
leaves are extensively used in Southern India and Sri Lanka (and are
absolutely necessary for the authentic flavor), but are also of some
importance in Northern India. Together with South Indian immigrants,
curry leaves reached Malaysia, South Africa and Réunion island. Outside
the Indian sphere of influence, they are rarely found. Curry powder
is a British invention to imitate the flavor of Indian cooking with
minimal effort. Some curry powders, or so the books tell, indeed
contain curry leaves, but probably only for historic or linguistic
reasons, since dried curry leaves lose their fragrance within days.
Tips:
Remember that since curry powder is not
a traditional recipe, there is little consensus about what should go
into it, and anyone is free to sell his own creation. Also the Curry
Leaf is often mistaken for the Curry Plant. Which doesn't smell at all
like the leaves of the Curry Tree. The Curry Plant has an aroma similar
to that of Sage or Mugwort and is generally not used in food
preparation. However some say it's usable along with other
Mediterranean herbs in French or Italian themed meals.
Cultivation:
It
needs full sun, moist conditions, well-draining medium rich soil, and
warmth; No less than 15 degrees Celsius at night and preferably 25-30
degrees during the day. If indoors watch for spider mites as curry leaf
is very susceptible to them; During the warm summer months it is a good
idea to move it outdoors to take advantage of the sunlight. It benefits
from occasional feeding with any fertilizer with balanced nutrients or
with higher nitrogen. Also, curry leaf plants do tend to become
deciduous in cooler temperatures.
Recommend this article...
|
